i'm always right but what's your perception?

[shooteverything]

[ detention in the bio classroom isn't as bad as it could be. at least there's stuff to look at. heine's gaze trails over the dusty blackboard, the sun coming in through the window, and the old raccoon specimen in a glass case on a high shelf. the sun isn't actually that appealing; he burns too easy to enjoy it.

so: staying inside and cleaning the classroom as punishment is an all right option, all things considered. heine picks up a rag with two fingers from the countertop to hold it under the tap, ready to get started and do a just-barely adequate job so that the teacher won't get on his ass.

there's supposed to be someone else coming in. he glances toward the doorway, checking to see if they've arrived yet. if they're unwelcome company, he can either intimidate them into cleaning by themselves or, worst case scenario, kick them out and just do it alone. ]

Comments

[shooteverything]

[ the school year is almost over, and with things settled for the next educational semester, heine has been spending more time with nill. he'd come over when the sky was merely cloudy instead of split open with lightning; now, he sits with her on the couch, lying down with his feet up on the armrest and head next to her legs as she reads. occasionally she shows the pages of her book to him when she finds something amusing, but he's fine just being here, eyes shut and listening to the rasp of paper, the pouring rain against the window.

it's interrupted by a sound at the door. heine cracks an eye open and glances at nill. she shakes her head—no, she's not expecting anyone.

moving with silent steps, heine goes to the door. a check through the peephole reveals a now-familiar head of white hair, plastered to killua's head by the rain. ]

It's okay. I know him. [ that said, there still might be trouble. nill asks why a friend of his would come here, and heine can only shrug and open the door. he doesn't move out of the way, one elbow propped against the doorframe to block his way. ]

What're you doing here?

[killectric]

[Killua's eyes are hidden behind dark circles and white hair that clung to his face. He doesn't want to look Heine in the eyes, so he glances under his arm and into the apartment beyond. He sees Nil and suddenly wants to turn around and find somewhere else to go, but he doesn't have a somewhere else.]

...I dunno. [He's soaked to the bone in only a tank-top and shorts, shivering and teeth chattering when he's not careful to hold it back.]

[shooteverything]

[ nill comes up behind heine, looking killua over with worried eyes. heine shrugs—an indication that he doesn't consider the guy a threat. nill tugs him back by the elbow to make room and gestures for killua to come inside, then slips off to find a towel. ]

Is anyone following you?

[ heine shuts the apartment door behind them before asking. ]

[killectric]

No.

[Killua steps inside, the water dripping off him and pooling at his feet in seconds. He looks over at Nill as she leaves, brow knit.] I lost them in the subway.

[shooteverything]

[ good. heine doesn't want nill to be at risk, though, even if tangentially.

as she's coming back with a towel, he asks just as she's handing it to killua— ] You ran away?

[killectric]

...Yeah. [Killua takes the towel and glances at Nill, quiet.] Thanks.

[He starts at his hair, ruffling it to try and shake the water out. When he pulls it away it looks like a white puff atop his head--just like always.] I was sick of that place anyway.

[shooteverything]

[ heine makes a sound, acknowledging, and steps back a little. ]

So you came here.

[ well... he did kind of encourage this. heine feels like he should take responsibility. ]

Nill, can I borrow an umbrella?

[ she nods and goes to fetch one, signing with one hand that heine should tell her what's happening as soon as possible. he agrees, but he doesn't feel safe staying here. and it's not safe for nill either. ]

[killectric]

This is the only place I could think of...

[Killua blinks as he watches Nill's signing, and immediately he understands. He doesn't say anything though, instead focusing on drying up what he could of his body. His clothes were still sopping, so there wasn't much he could do except wring them out and hope he doesn't freeze to death at this rate.]

[shooteverything]

I'll take you to my apartment.

[ heine waits for killua to finish up with the towel, then hands it back over to nill. to her, he says, ] I'll text you later.

[ she passes them a large umbrella. heine bids her goodbye and starts out the apartment, expecting killua to follow. ]

How's your arm?

[killectric]

I thought this was your apartment. [He glances back at the girl and then follows Heine out, brow knit.]

It's fine. It still hurts, but I've had worse.

[shooteverything]

It's not.

[ he doesn't explain any further as they take the stairs down. ]

Nothing else?

[ injuries, he's asking about. ]

[killectric]

Nothing worth mentioning. [He sniffles, finding a cold creeping up on him already. Figures...]

[shooteverything]

[ heine acknowledges the statement with a grunt, opening up the umbrella as they exit the shelter of the apartment building. he doesn't live far away, and he walks quickly, so they should be able to reach his actual apartment without killua getting much more wet.

he gets them into the building and up to his apartment without saying much more. ]

I'll find some dry clothes.

[ should they actually talk about the fact that he ran away from home? probably... ]

[killectric]

[He's sneezing by the time they make it there, nose running and a disgruntled look on his face.]

...Okay. [For now he'll take off his shoes and socks, and then his shirt for good measure. He rubs his arms as he waits, trying to dry the water from his body and heat up.]

[shooteverything]

[ heine's apartment is far sparser than nill's, barely furnished and even less lived-in. heine clicks on a light as he leaves the room, illuminating a few items of minimalistic furniture and some items of clothing strewn about. his school backpack lies in a corner, and the kitchen is basically empty as well.

it's only a minute before he returns with an armful of clothing and another towel. ]

You can take a hot shower if you want to. Here.

[ old t-shirt, newer sweatshirt, and sweatpants that killua will definitely have to roll up to wear. ]

[killectric]

[His teeth are chattering again despite his best efforts, and as Killua takes the clothes he struggles to talk.]

Y-yeah, sure. [And then he's off, because he's freezing to death over here.

Over an hour passes and Killua hasn't left the bathroom--because he found some bubble bath liquid and has somehow managed to fill the entire shower stall with bubbles. With his hair white and his skin pale, all you can really see of him are wide-blue eyes looking gleeful in a sea of foam.

He's even building a bubble snowman.]

[shooteverything]

[ heine leaves killua to the bathroom at first and occupies himself with making sure there's nothing out that he wouldn't want seen, and trying to decide what to do. he guesses that killua won't be able to go home, definitely not tonight, and maybe for the forseeable future. he said he doesn't have any other friends, which is pretty damn sad. even heine has some friends.

he supposes he'll have to let him stay over. standing at the window, he lets out a sigh. the couch can be made up, but heine thinks the bed might actually be better with his injuries.

but god, he's taking a long time in the shower. heine knocks on the bathroom door a few times. ] You dead in there?

[killectric]

Huh? [He pipes up, blowing some bubbles away from his face so he can kind of get a look at the door through the glass.]

No! Why?

[shooteverything]

You've been in there for an hour.

[ he leans against the door for a moment, evaluating his options. ]

You'd better not be jerking off in there.

[ HE'S COMING IN. turning the door knob (there's no lock on the door), he swings the door open and steps into a cloud of hot, humid air and the heavy smell of sweet vanilla bubble bath. ]

...

[killectric]

What?! No-- [But before Killua can finish his protest, there goes Heine swinging open the door. Luckily there's nothing to see really, since the entire shower is bustling with bubbles and his bubbleman is sitting in his lap.]

Why would you just break in after asking that?! [What if he had been--not that he would!]

[shooteverything]

Because I figured you wouldn't be. [ heine... logic... ]

Anyway, what're you doing with the— [ he waves a hand at the bubbles, coming closer. at least the foam blocks out anything he doesn't want to see. ]

[killectric]

[Killua has to question Heine's logic there...]

I'm taking a shower! What's it look like? [Actually, it looks more like he's playing in suds. The faucet isn't even on.]

[shooteverything]

[ don't question your senpai. ]

It looks like you used up an entire bottle of bubble bath. Which wasn't even mine.

[ scowling, heine reaches for the handle of the sliding shower door before he thinks better of it. he doesn't want suds all over his bathroom. ]

Just finish up already, you'll definitely get sick if you stay in here.

[killectric]

I only used up half of it. [He was being conservative since it wasn't his. Look at how thoughtful he is.]

But I'm not going to get sick just from this! I took a hot shower already and it's still pretty warm in here.

[shooteverything]

You're only supposed to use a capful.

[ jfc, kid. but if that's not going to get killua out of the shower, heine changes tack. ]

Get out of there already. I need to use the shower.